After poor play over the last few seasons, the Miami Dolphins made the choice to release their former fifth overall pick, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Despite the poor production, Tagovailoa was picked up swiftly by the Atlanta Falcons to compete with fellow lefty quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Here’s new head coach Kevin Stefanski’s explanation for the move.
Why Kevin Stefanski Believes Tua Tagovailoa Is a Good Fit for the Falcons
After six seasons and a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins parted ways. Over those six years, Tagovailoa completed 68% of passes for 18,166 passing yards, 120 touchdowns, and 59 interceptions. Regardless of the poor play, it was apparent he could provide value elsewhere.
That’s just what Stefanski and the Falcons, who signed Tagovailoa to a one-year minimum contract, thought. In regard to the addition, NFL writer Bobby Kownack wrote the following about Stefanski’s statement on Tagovailoa:
“‘Tua was a good fit for us,’ Stefanski said. ‘I think the football fit, the personal fit, I think he’s looking for a place where he can go and compete for a starting job, and that’s what we are offering to him. I think he’s somebody that has always competed in career, look back at his time at Alabama, so him coming in, and he wants to do what’s best for this football team, we’re excited to have him.'”
If competing for a starting job is a priority for Tagovailoa, Atlanta makes a lot of sense, considering that Penix is recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in the back half of last season.
Stefanski added the following on both him and Tagovailoa seeking redemption in Atlanta:
“‘There’s something to be said when you’re fired,’ Stefanski said. ‘I can attest to that. You want to prove people wrong. You have a chip on your shoulder. I think where I’m coming into this, where Tua’s coming into this is, listen, this is not exactly how you thought it would go, but guess what, that’s the reality, and how are we gonna respond? I think that’s what he’s made of. You look back his career, you look back at his college career, he’s responded.'”
Last season, Tagovailoa ranked 27th in the PFSN NFL Quarterback Impact Metric (QBi) with an impact score of 72.2 and a letter grade of C-. In 14 games, he completed 67.7% of passes for 2,660 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. The poor performance led to him being benched in favor of rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers.
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Ironically, he was still better than his new teammate, Penix. In PFSN’s QBi, Penix ranked 31st with an impact score of 70.1 and a letter grade of C-. In 9 games, he completed 60.1% of passes for 1,982 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions.
If Tagovailoa wants a chance to be a starter again, this is the perfect chance for him to capitalize.
